Once upon a broken heart
by Saymorian
Summary: Used to be 'true loves kiss' but I didn't like that. Anyway: A collection of one shots about my favourite inheritance couple: ExA. please review. Warning Arya OOC
1. Chapter 1

**AN: okay, so I've had this idea for like ages. Btw, this will not be a multi-chapter fic; it's just a few one-shots, together in one fic. They will all be ExA; they are like my favourite couple!**

**Hoping someone likes, though even if you don't, tell me what I did wrong.**

* * *

Her only friend

_This is set a little after Brisingr, about 6 months perhaps. _

Arya lay on the cot in her dark tent, curled up into a ball, refusing to let the tears flow. Though she could not contain her sadnes. She had to let it out; she could contain it no longer. Oromis was gone, slain over Gilead. Since then, Glaedr had not spoken to anyone, not a single word as he grieved over his lost half. Arya knew how he felt, she who had lost her mate half a year ago now.

_Faolin_

The thought of his name brings a tear to her eye, yet she pushes it away forcefully, hiding her sorrow yet again underneath a mask of calm. Yet something was wrong, she could tell that. Yes, she still felt grief over the death of the one she loved, but now it was no longer so heart-wrenching. He had changed that.

_Eragon_

The thought of his name brings lightness to her hearts dark cavern, Eragon, her best friend, her only friend. He was the only one living who seemed to care for her. Her mother's heart had turned cold after the loss of her father. Thoughts of Eragon spin around her mind, the times he's comforted her, the times he's made her laugh, the times he's listened.

She remembered the strange urge she had felt the last time she had seen him, yesterday afternoon.

_They had been sat together, cross-legged on the emerald grass. They were speaking, nothing major, just light things as friends tend to. Arya found herself staring at his mouth as he spoke, she wondered what would happen if she leant closer and...No! She would not allow such thoughts, what about Faolin?_

Arya came back to the present, her mind still full of Eragon. Then she realises and when she does it's as though she's been shaken awake.

She loves him.

It's taken her half a year, but suddenly she knows, it would explain a lot, why her thoughts were full of him, why only yesterday she had wondered what would happen if their lips joined. And now she must tell him. She thinks for a moment and immediately knows where he is, the Elvin sparring ground. She rises up swiftly and grabs her sword on the way out of the tent. She secures her sword onto her belt and starts to run through the Elvin camp, stopping for nothing and nobody.

Eragon stood amongst the many elves gathered for training. One elf approached him, sword in hand

"Shadeslayer, I wonder if you would like to spar?"

Eragon turned to face the voice "But of course Vanir," he gave a brief smile as he drew Brisingr from its sheath. He went into an attack stance but heard another voice.

"Eragon!"

He spun round, Brisingr still in hand "Arya,"

The raven haired elf reaches him "Shadeslayer I wonder if I might have a word?"

"But of course, Arya Shadeslayer." he spoke just as softly as she, sliding Brisingr back into the sheath at his hip. He turned to Vanir "My apologies Vanir."

The elf just nodded "Another time perhaps?"

"Definetly" Eragon gave the elf a fleeting smile and turned around.

He followed Arya to a large circle near the centre of the sparring grounds.

He looked at the elf, realising just how close she was, they were but half a metre away from each other.

"Eragon I...I really need to...I feel that...Argh!" She was having trouble saying it, having been cold with him for so long.

Eragon was confused, his eyebrows rose and he asked "What are you trying to say Drottningu (AN: did I spell that right?)?"

"Eragon..." Arya laid a hand on his neck as she spoke and there was softness, in both her voice and indeed her eyes, which he had neither heard nor seen before.

Before he could do anything she had thrown her other arm around his neck and pulled him closer, claiming his mouth with hers. Eragon felt as though he had been hit by lightening and froze. Yet Arya's mouth was insistent, she slid one hand up his neck, twining it into his hair. Before long, Eragon found himself responding, putting his arms around her back.

The elves who were watching were astounded. Their princess had just walked up and kissed the last free rider. It took a lot to shock an elf, but this sure did it, the jaw of every single elf present dropped open for a few seconds, before they composed themselves.

They broke the kiss only when their lungs started screaming at them, though they held the embrace.

"I love you Eragon." She said quietly

"I love you too." He spoke back, his voice bursting with happiness.

Arya smiled and took his hand, leading him away from the sparring grounds. They walked into the forest and were soon swallowed up by the leaves.

Little did they know that, flying high in the cloudless sky, a sapphire dragon was laughing at them.

_Well it's about time._

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end

**AN: Well? It's my first attempt at romance so it'd be nice to know how I did. This will remain a one-shot although I have a few other one shot ideas.**

**Please review**

**Saymorian.**


	2. Chapter 2: Willing Sacrifice

**AN: Thank you to those who reviewed and gave me criticism.**

**This isn't really fluffy, but just a short idea, angst. **

Willing sacrifice.

_Shortly after Brisingr_

Eragon was burning, though not from fire. He was burning on the inside. Every breath caused him intense pain, though he hid it well, never letting anyone see his constant agony. He kept it inside, and not even Saphira knew the extent of his hurt, though she knew why, something that no one else knew either. The Varden didn't know, and Eragon was not going to tell them anytime soon. Let them believe he was fine, when he was no-where near to it, all because of her.

_Arya_

He thinks her name and the heartache increases, he breathes in sharply. She hurts him every day, without ever meaning to. Every second he spends near her makes him ache, it hurts to talk to her, to fake a smile and pretend that his heart is not breaking even more. She will smile back, though that can never mend his heart, he is just a friend to her, sometimes not even that.

He loves her.

She'll never feel the same, this he knows. She feels for another, one who died, yet she still feels for him. Eragon knows she will never move on, not for him. She sees him as a child, not one worthy of her love.

Yet it doesn't matter to Eragon. He still speaks to her, not able to bear the thought of parting from her. He suffers every day, yet to see her smile is worth more than anything. And so he bears his pain without complaint, happy to suffer a thousand deaths for an unrequited love.

He truly is;

A willing Sacrifice.

**AN: Angsty I know, it just came to me in a random moment, the next one will be happier. Sorry for the shortness**

**Reviews would make me very happy indeed **

**Saymorian**


	3. Chapter 3: Falling

**AN: Again, thanks to the people who reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, I kinda forgot about this...**

**I (sadly) do not own the Inheritance Cycle, if I did, Arya would have got over Faolin and- hang on; there would be **_**no **_**Faolin. Arya would be with Eragon and I'd be happy, but, Christopher Paolini gets to decide, not me. **

**I just heard this song and immediately thought of ExA**

**I do not own the song, it belongs to Colbie Caillat. **

Falling for you

_I don't know but  
I think I maybe  
Fallin' for you  
Dropping so quickly  
Maybe I should  
Keep this to myself  
Waiting 'til I  
Know you better_

She sat in her room; this was ridiculous; she had met him just a year ago, so why had she started to have this feeling around him?

_  
I am trying  
Not to tell you  
But I want to  
I'm scared of what you'll say  
So I'm hiding what I'm feeling  
But I'm tired of  
Holding this inside my head_

She had been keeping her feelings to herself these past few weeks, not wanting to distract him from the war that raged around them. But, yet, at the same time, she wanted desperately for him to know what she was feeling.

_  
I've been spending all my time  
Just thinking about ya  
I don't know what to do  
I think I'm fallin' for you  
I've been waiting all my life  
And now I found ya  
I don't know what to do  
I think I'm fallin' for you  
I'm fallin' for you  
_

She could hardly believe herself; she was falling for him after all. Her thoughts for the past weeks had been full of him, his smile, his laugh, the way his eyes sparkled when he was amused, the way his hair looked as her flew on Saphira... Arya had tried, yet her thoughts seemed of him alone, it had been hard to concentrate on anything else. She had been waiting for a year, for the gaping hole in her heart, torn when Faolin had departed this world, to heal, he had done that. She still loved Faolin and mourned his loss, and yet, she was having stronger feelings emerge, feelings for Eragon.

_As I'm standing here  
And you hold my hand  
Pull me towards you  
And we start to dance  
All around us  
I see nobody  
Here in silence  
It's just you and me  
_

Arya remembered that day well. How they'd been holding hands, Eragon had pulled her close and they had danced. She remembered the clearing perfectly, and the way Eragon had smiled and the way his hand felt in hers, the other on her waist as they moved slowly in the silence. For a minute just forgetting their responsibilities and the war

_I'm trying  
Not to tell you  
But I want to  
I'm scared of what you'll say  
So I'm hiding what I'm feeling  
But I'm tired of  
Holding this inside my head  
_

Arya was coming to a decision. Yes she wanted to tell him, but after all this time; would he still feel the same? She doubted it, yet she was tired of hiding it from the world.

_I've been spending all my time  
Just thinking about ya  
I don't know what to do  
I think I'm fallin' for you  
I've been waiting all my life  
And now I found ya  
I don't know what to do  
I think I'm fallin' for you  
I'm fallin' for you  
Oh I just can't take it_

_My heart is racing  
The emotions keep spinning out  
_

The thought of him sets her pulse racing, her heart beating abnormally fast. She can't take the emotions, they keep spinning out of control, taking her with them.

_I've been spending all my time  
Just thinking about ya  
I don't know what to do  
I think I'm fallin' for you  
I've been waiting all my life  
And now I found ya  
I don't know what to do  
I think I'm fallin' for you  
I'm fallin' for you_

Oh, what should she do? She bit her lip in indecision._  
_

_I can't stop thinking about it  
I want you all around me  
And now I just can't hide it_

It wouldn't leave her mind; she wanted to feel his arms around her, protecting her from the world. She wanted to feel his mouth on hers. She wanted to hear him say that he loved her.

_  
I think I'm fallin' for you (x2)  
I'm fallin' for you  
Ooohhh  
Oh no no  
Oooooohhh  
Oh I'm fallin' for you_

It was too late, seeing Eragon walk into the room; Arya knew she had fallen completely

And she was going to tell him that.

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**AN: Okay, so I heard this song for the first time on the radio and thought about what a good songfic it would make for them.**

**If you agree or disagree, let me know by pressing the review button please. It would make me happy, even if its criticism, it would be good to get some so that I can improve my next fic. Thanks **

**Saymorian**


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